During the program, the selected entrepreneurs live and work in Zurich to implement collaborative projects with the partners and scaling their business. They receive support by mentors and experts out of the Swiss innovation ecosystem, get in touch with investors and take part in collaboration workshops. Additionally, each startup will receive up to CHF 10’000 of program stipends.

Kickstart takes no equity and charges no fees.

Program

What’s included?

No equity and no fees

Kickstart takes no equity and charges no fees.

Separate partnership budget

Participants get the chance to access funding for successfully initiated collaborative projects with Kickstart partners.

Access to senior executives

Kickstart gives participants the opportunity to connect with its partners' senior executives.

Collaboration training and facilitation

Kickstart is actively fostering collaborative projects between the startups and the partners.

Program stipends

Kickstart participants can expect a program stipend of up to CHF 10'000 per startup.

Your personal mentor

Entrepreneurial mentors are at the center of Kickstart. We think of mentoring as building a relationship with someone who accompanies and inspires you along your journey and helps you to navigate in the Swiss market.

Access to experts

In addition to their mentor, startups have access to a wide network of industry, business and technology experts for 1:1 sessions.

Connection to investors

Kickstart facilitates connections to a large network of national and international investors.

Free office space and infrastructure

Kickstart provides office space and infrastructure to all participants at the innovation and collaboration space Kraftwerk in Zurich.

Networking and community events

Weekly networking events at Kraftwerk and external locations allow participating startups to fully emerge themselves into the Swiss innovation ecosystem. Community building events throughout the program intend to create strong bonds between the vertical cohorts to enable peer-support across the program.

Media exposure

Startups get the chance to be covered in various local and national media outlets, newsletters and on social media.

Swiss startup and innovation ecosystem

Overall participating startups can benefit from a fast-track access to Swiss startup and innovation ecosystem.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity

EdTech & Learning

The EdTech & Learning Vertical’s mission is to build a co-creation hub for “open innovation” between universities, foundations, companies and technology and edtech startups.

The EdTech & Learning Vertical is looking for later stage technology startups eager to try-out proof of concepts and other collaborative partnerships with Kickstart’s EdTech & Learning partners and across Kickstart’s Verticals. EdTech & Learning Vertical topics include: transforming the technological possibilities of research and teaching at universities, learning in primary and secondary schools, and the organization of corporate learning.

Switzerland is home of Europe’s leading universities, the world’s highest density of multinational corporations, lean government structures and forward looking foundations. Kickstart’s 2019 EdTech & Learning startup batch will encounter excellent resources, a playful dynamic for education technologies, and progressive developments in the learning sciences.

EdTech & Learning

The EdTech & Learning Vertical’s mission is to build a co-creation hub for “open innovation” between universities, foundations, companies and technology and edtech startups.

The EdTech & Learning Vertical is looking for later stage technology startups eager to try-out proof of concepts and other collaborative partnerships with Kickstart’s EdTech & Learning partners and across Kickstart’s Verticals. EdTech & Learning Vertical topics include: transforming the technological possibilities of research and teaching at universities, learning in primary and secondary schools, and the organization of corporate learning.

Switzerland is home of Europe’s leading universities, the world’s highest density of multinational corporations, lean government structures and forward looking foundations. Kickstart’s 2019 EdTech & Learning startup batch will encounter excellent resources, a playful dynamic for education technologies, and progressive developments in the learning sciences.

Food & Retail Tech

The Food & Retail Tech vertical is looking for disruptive technologies and business models in the food and retail tech area. With Switzerland’s history as a food innovation nation, it’s today the domicile of some of the world’s leading food companies. Kickstart is seeking to reignite the radical food and retail innovation culture in a market with high growth potential. Some of the technology areas we are looking for includes among others:

Sustainable Packaging Solutions

Disruptive Distribution Systems

Retail Technologies and Solutions

Personalized Nutrition

Traceability

Health of microbiome

Innovation bridges, Proof of concepts and other collaborations, are being built during the Kickstart program between later-stage startups and corporates. These projects will more often than not result in steps towards more sustainable food production, i.e. positive impact on the Climate and Health Crises we are facing today

Food & Retail Tech

The Food & Retail Tech vertical is looking for disruptive technologies and business models in the food and retail tech area. With Switzerland’s history as a food innovation nation, it’s today the domicile of some of the world’s leading food companies. Kickstart is seeking to reignite the radical food and retail innovation culture in a market with high growth potential. Some of the technology areas we are looking for includes among others:

Sustainable Packaging Solutions

Disruptive Distribution Systems

Retail Technologies and Solutions

Personalized Nutrition

Traceability

Health of microbiome

Innovation bridges, Proof of concepts and other collaborations, are being built during the Kickstart program between later-stage startups and corporates. These projects will more often than not result in steps towards more sustainable food production, i.e. positive impact on the Climate and Health Crises we are facing today

HealthTech

The HealthTech Vertical, co-founded by Swiss Healthcare Startups is looking for innovative business models in the field of HealthTech.

The healthcare industry has seen an increased interest as new technologies being introduced in the sector that aim to improve treatments, reduce inefficiencies and costs in healthcare delivery, improve quality and make medicine more precise and personalized.

Overall, digitization of health is an ongoing process with enormous potential, also driven by growing health consciousness. HealthTech helps to improve not only diagnosis or treatment, rehabilitation and health outcomes, also the promotion of well-being, disease prevention are factors not to be underestimated.

Kickstart is interested in innovative HealthTech startups with potential to change and disrupt the healthcare, insurance, pharma and medtech industry. We are inviting startups that provide new services, products, or software – any new technologies and solutions that help reshaping health, medical related processes and technologies.

HealthTech

The HealthTech Vertical, co-founded by Swiss Healthcare Startups is looking for innovative business models in the field of HealthTech.

The healthcare industry has seen an increased interest as new technologies being introduced in the sector that aim to improve treatments, reduce inefficiencies and costs in healthcare delivery, improve quality and make medicine more precise and personalized.

Overall, digitization of health is an ongoing process with enormous potential, also driven by growing health consciousness. HealthTech helps to improve not only diagnosis or treatment, rehabilitation and health outcomes, also the promotion of well-being, disease prevention are factors not to be underestimated.

Kickstart is interested in innovative HealthTech startups with potential to change and disrupt the healthcare, insurance, pharma and medtech industry. We are inviting startups that provide new services, products, or software – any new technologies and solutions that help reshaping health, medical related processes and technologies.

Intrapreneurs

Intrapreneurs

Swiss open innovation ecosystem is flourishing and Kickstart Accelerator lies at its heart. We‘re proud to be on board since Kickstart's very beginning.

Stefan SchöbiHead Engagement Migros Development Fund

As Government Councilor and Director of the Department of Education of the Canton of Zurich, I am delighted to become the patron of the Education and Learning Technology Vertical of the Kickstart Accelerator program for 2018. Digitalisation is of enormous importance to our schools. I am convinced that our education system will become even more innovative and competitive thanks to the Impact Hub Zurich.

Dr. Silvia SteinerGovernment Councilor and Education Director of the Canton of Zurich; President of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education

Being part of Kickstart Accelerator has been an unparalleled experience that has allowed us to boost our startup past all expectations.

Naomi McKenzieCo-Founder at Kitro

Credit Suisse has benefited tremendously from the ideas and technologies generated through Kickstart in the past two years. we are excited to continue our support to the innovation ecosystem.

Kickstart made us take a step back and refine our business model & go-to-market approach. The team are some of the most energetic and genuine people i have ever worked with.

Mariela AlfonzoCo-Founder at State Of Place

Swisscom is proud to be a founding partner of Kickstart Accelerator. The program builds a bridge between world-class start-ups and major companies as well as the Swiss Start-up ecosystem.
By giving them access to the relevant network, experts and mentors we help them boost their business model.
For outstanding start-ups who work in fields with strategic relevance for Swisscom, the Accelerator can even be a door-opener for a Proof of Concept or investment.
Thus, we accompany young talents on their way to become a successful company.

Roger Wüthrich-HasenböhlerChief Digital Officer at Swisscom

Kickstart has been a revelation that i would whole-heartedly recommend to any company looking to extend their reach across Europe, not just Switzerland.

Gavan GravesenCo-Founder at RADiCAL

Being a Global Partner for three consecutive years, we have come to appreciate the work with the startups. We look forward to collecting new ideas for innovative projects and to collaborating on concrete PoCs.

Benedikt PachlatkoProject Lead Kickstart Accelerator at Coop

Kickstart Accelerator offers start-ups the unique opportunity to benefit from the know-how and network of a global corporation. And for us at AXA it’s another way of entering into collaborations with start-ups that can support our business model with the possibilities offered by new technologies or innovative ideas.

Kickstart Accelerator provided the right environment to grow our seed into a small plant. We are very grateful for this amazing experience and all the support. Thank you!

Malik El BayCEO at modum.io

Kickstart has definitely accelerated our business in those 11 weeks- getting in touch with the key people to validate our B2B use cases, accessing supportive mentors and experts in the food industry, and keeping us in the loop with the whole entrepreneur ecosystem in Switzerland. With the cool & well-kept funky space, the collaborative environment, and the lasting friendships we have built, joining Kickstart was a very wonderful chapter in FoPo’s starting phase, and was truly enriching for me as an entrepreneur.

Gerald Perry MarinCFO at FoPo

Kickstart Accelerator made it possible to get PoC’s with Migros & Coop, the two biggest retailers in Switzerland. This allows us to improve our product and get it ready to market much faster. Being the winner of the Food Vertical makes us really proud. Thank you for this great journey.

Aron KenesseyCo-Founder at Faitron

The word “accelerate” is an accurate description of what happens in the Kickstart Accelerator. We are amazed by all that we have learnt from the mentors, partners, investors and the KSA team in the 11 weeks . Every morning you walk in the door, you are surrounded by people who love to roll up their sleeves and get stuff done.

Andy XueCEO at Surong360

So, Kickstart was an eye opener for both my CTO and me. For my CTO it was his first time out of Rwanda so he got the chance to see how things were handled in the western world. For me, I got the chance to work with a great mentor of a high profile as his was from an investment bank, and helped to structure mergims; but also I met with high profile people with whom a connection has been created and no thought they will help my startup to accelerate. This was must do experience for any startup looking to shift in the next gear.

Louis Antoine MuhireCEO at Mergims

Having a special food vertical inside is unique. It provided us with amazing support of experts in this specific industry. Both Kickstart Accelerator and Zurich gave us the necessary tools and environment to successfully launch the operations here & to boost our start up.

Wladimir d'HarcourtCEO at Dalou

Kickstart Accelerator is one of the best things that have happened to EntoCube. Dedicated mentorship, world class masterclasses, access to the most interesting corporations and no strings attached funding without losing any equity – the deal is almost too good to be true.